Ezine85

Set a Few Simple Goals

I'm sure there are people out there who set New Year's resolutions and have already even accomplished some of their goals. Not me. It took me the whole month of January to think about my goals, to mull over those goals, to reconsider my goals, and now finally get around to working on those goals. I'm trying to keep it simple, and want to share some thoughts with you that will hopefully help you be successful in 2008.

Instead of trying to accomplish too much, try setting a few simple goals that are attainable.

For example, instead of setting a lofty goal to lose 30 pounds, set a few simple goals like:
1. Drink more water daily
2. Eat smaller portions at mealtimes
3. Eat healthy snacks and limit sweets
4. Walk to work three times per week

If you're successful at these goals for a time, chances are you will lose weight or at least maintain your weight. If you are successful for a few weeks, try another, and another, and so on. Instead of focusing on the end result, try breaking the goal down into smaller goals.

Another approach would be to set one goal at a time. For example, set a goal to drink 32 ounces of water daily and do that for several weeks. Once that is a habit, increase the amount to 64 ounces daily. That's one goal accomplished and made into a habit -- yahoo, way to go!

Once you're in the habit of drinking more water, set a new goal to eat smaller portions at mealtimes. Do this for several weeks. Once you've established this as a habit, set a new goal to eat only healthy snacks and limit sweets. Work on this new goal for several weeks until you have success.

Sometimes we try to change too much at one time and it becomes overwhelming. Focus on one thing at a time until you change a habit, then add another goal.

An added note:
Did you know that doing chores burns calories. This morning, while I was sweeping and mopping my kitchen floor, I burned over 100 calories. I could tell, too, as I scrubbed the floor and felt my heart rate increase. Did you know that vacuuming for 30 minutes spends about the same number of calories. My point is we often think we have to hit the gym or the lap pool to fit in exercise, but if we simply do those important daily activities (CHORES!), we will be burning calories and staying fit in the process.

Meal Planning

Frugal Food Tip
If your family is like mine, you often waste the heels of the bread loaf. If you can't get your family to eat the heels, try the following ideas to use them instead of lose them:

make an inside out sandwich - grilled cheese sandwiches work especially well because the heel on the inside is easily disguised.
save all the heels in a plastic bag (or 2 or 3 bags) in the freezer and take it to the park in the spring to feed to the ducks (a fun family activity)
save the heels to make stuffing
use the heels to make bread pudding

Monthly Menu Planner
Save yourself from the nightly dinner dilemna by using the Monthly Menu Planner to plan a month's worth of dinners. Visit our meal planning page to read more about the Monthly Menu Planner and how to use it.

Want to see a sample Monthly Menu Planner?

Get it here!

Blank Monthly Menu Planner
I've created a blank Monthly Menu Planner to get you started. This chart will help you create your own monthly dinner plan. Print it off, plug in your meals and get started today!

Get it here!

Valentine's Day Fun

If you're a parent or teacher, and you want to make Valentine's Day a special time for your loved ones or students, visit the links below for some great Valentine's resources, including food, crafts, and activities.

For assorted recipes, click here

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Valentine's Day Crafts & Gift Ideas at Family Fun!

Valentine's Day Printables, Games & Activities at ABCTeach

Valentine's Day Games, Crafts & Activities at Am azingMoms.com

Decorations at AmazingMoms.com

Valentine's Games at Party Game Central

More Free Chore Charts at SFC

Need a goal chart, but don't know where to start? Print out our Blank Chore Chart and fill it in to get started!

Get it here!

Visit our Chore Charts page to get more free charts!

Chore Charts

Resources

Great tips and advice for working moms ~ Blue Suit Mom

Ready to ditch the diapers? ~ PottyTrainingTips.com

Great site for teaching kids money management ~ Prosperity4Kids

In a rut with meal planning? ~ MyOnlineMeals.com

Looking for smart ways to save money? 1 Frugal Friend 2 Another

Until Next Time...

Hope you have a great month full of FUN and ENERGY!

Andrea Simanson

SFC Website and Ezine Editor
Successful Family Chores

New to Successful Family Chores?

If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, you can sign up to receive it for FREE by clicking here!

Help put fun and energy into someone else's day by forwarding this newsletter to them and encouraging them to sign up for their free subscription!

If you no longer wish to receive this publication, unsubscribe here.

You are receiving this email from Successful Family Chores because you subscribed on our website. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, please add asimanson@successfulfamilychores.com to your address book. You can view this newsletter on the web by clicking on this link: Read this newsletter at the SFC website!
Putting FUN and ENERGY into everyday tasks!
	Chore Tips
In This Issue February 2008 Chore Tips It's Time to Clean House! Set a Few Simple Goals Meal Planning Frugal Food Tip Monthly Menu Planner Blank Monthly Menu Planner Valentine's Day Fun More Free Charts Resources It's Time to Clean House! It's a new year and time for some fresh new ideas about household responsibilities. To get on track for the new year, have a family meeting and talk about how chores are going in your household. The purpose of the meeting is to build unity and teamwork in your family and to set some new goals. Read my recent article Six Tips for Successful Family Chores. It will help you get started in the right direction. Is there something that's not getting done that should be? Don't just complain about it, but add it to the chore list. If you don't have a chore list, click here to download a blank one. Fill it out and get started right now. Sometimes the thing that keeps us from doing chores in our home is the lack of communication about what's suppose to happen. If you communicate expectancies, you'll have more success in your home. If you don't, you won't! If it's been awhile since you updated your chore lists, click here to read about keeping things fresh! In addition to listing daily chores on the chore charts, be sure to include some weekly chores. I have a special time each week when I accomplish some extra chores. On Saturday mornings, I spend time doing some deep cleaning in my home. It's a time to catch up on laundry, vacuum a room or two, deep clean a bathroom, or attend to whatever pressure areas need attended to. If it's been a busy week at work, I may need some extra time to clean a room, or do a few extra loads of laundry that didn't get done during the week. I like to make a pot of coffee early in the morning (before anyone else wakes up) and roll up my sleeves and get some good cleaning done. If you're overwhelmed with life and just need a little perspective, read my Family Portrait article. Life is hectic at times, but stress doesn't have to rule our hearts, thoughts and actions. I believe we can take charge of our lives and create a special family atmosphere. Visit our website for more ideas and articles Set a Few Simple Goals I'm sure there are people out there who set New Year's resolutions and have already even accomplished some of their goals. Not me. It took me the whole month of January to think about my goals, to mull over those goals, to reconsider my goals, and now finally get around to working on those goals. I'm trying to keep it simple, and want to share some thoughts with you that will hopefully help you be successful in 2008. Instead of trying to accomplish too much, try setting a few simple goals that are attainable. For example, instead of setting a lofty goal to lose 30 pounds, set a few simple goals like: 1. Drink more water daily 2. Eat smaller portions at mealtimes 3. Eat healthy snacks and limit sweets 4. Walk to work three times per week If you're successful at these goals for a time, chances are you will lose weight or at least maintain your weight. If you are successful for a few weeks, try another, and another, and so on. Instead of focusing on the end result, try breaking the goal down into smaller goals. Another approach would be to set one goal at a time. For example, set a goal to drink 32 ounces of water daily and do that for several weeks. Once that is a habit, increase the amount to 64 ounces daily. That's one goal accomplished and made into a habit -- yahoo, way to go! Once you're in the habit of drinking more water, set a new goal to eat smaller portions at mealtimes. Do this for several weeks. Once you've established this as a habit, set a new goal to eat only healthy snacks and limit sweets. Work on this new goal for several weeks until you have success. Sometimes we try to change too much at one time and it becomes overwhelming. Focus on one thing at a time until you change a habit, then add another goal. An added note: Did you know that doing chores burns calories. This morning, while I was sweeping and mopping my kitchen floor, I burned over 100 calories. I could tell, too, as I scrubbed the floor and felt my heart rate increase. Did you know that vacuuming for 30 minutes spends about the same number of calories. My point is we often think we have to hit the gym or the lap pool to fit in exercise, but if we simply do those important daily activities (CHORES!), we will be burning calories and staying fit in the process. Meal Planning Frugal Food Tip If your family is like mine, you often waste the heels of the bread loaf. If you can't get your family to eat the heels, try the following ideas to use them instead of lose them: make an inside out sandwich - grilled cheese sandwiches work especially well because the heel on the inside is easily disguised. save all the heels in a plastic bag (or 2 or 3 bags) in the freezer and take it to the park in the spring to feed to the ducks (a fun family activity) save the heels to make stuffing use the heels to make bread pudding Monthly Menu Planner Save yourself from the nightly dinner dilemna by using the Monthly Menu Planner to plan a month's worth of dinners. Visit our meal planning page to read more about the Monthly Menu Planner and how to use it. Want to see a sample Monthly Menu Planner? Get it here! Blank Monthly Menu Planner I've created a blank Monthly Menu Planner to get you started. This chart will help you create your own monthly dinner plan. Print it off, plug in your meals and get started today! Get it here! Valentine's Day Fun If you're a parent or teacher, and you want to make Valentine's Day a special time for your loved ones or students, visit the links below for some great Valentine's resources, including food, crafts, and activities. For assorted recipes, click here Sugar Cookie Recipe Valentine's Day Crafts & Gift Ideas at Family Fun! Valentine's Day Printables, Games & Activities at ABCTeach Valentine's Day Games, Crafts & Activities at Am azingMoms.com Decorations at AmazingMoms.com Valentine's Games at Party Game Central More Free Chore Charts at SFC Need a goal chart, but don't know where to start? Print out our Blank Chore Chart and fill it in to get started! Get it here! Visit our Chore Charts page to get more free charts! Chore Charts Resources Great tips and advice for working moms ~ Blue Suit Mom Ready to ditch the diapers? ~ PottyTrainingTips.com Great site for teaching kids money management ~ Prosperity4Kids In a rut with meal planning? ~ MyOnlineMeals.com Looking for smart ways to save money? 1 Frugal Friend 2 Another Until Next Time... Hope you have a great month full of FUN and ENERGY! Andrea Simanson SFC Website and Ezine Editor Successful Family Chores New to Successful Family Chores? If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, you can sign up to receive it for FREE by clicking here! Help put fun and energy into someone else's day by forwarding this newsletter to them and encouraging them to sign up for their free subscription! If you no longer wish to receive this publication, unsubscribe here.	Chore Tips Use chores as incentives for other activities. Examples: 1. When your room is clean, you may go to the movie with your friends. 2. When your chore list is completed for the day, you may have some computer time. 3. When your homework is done, you may watch TV. 4. Put away your toys, then you may have a snack. Life is full of "if/thens." Children need to learn that work comes before play. Teach them the if/then principle of life and you will help them grow up to be responsible adults. More Chore Tips! More at Successful Family Chores! Chore Charts Chore Tips Family Fun Meal Planning Parenting Article Page Newsletter Resources aStore Other Great Resources! What's for Dinner? After School Snacks Food Allergy Resources Prosperity4Kids
Website: http://www.successfulfamilychores.com
DISCLAIMER Successful Family Chores cannot guarantee the legitimacy and validity of any ads. Successful Family Chores disclaims any responsibility or liability arising out of or relating to any item listed including: 1) the legality of the ad or offer, 2) the performance or conduct of the advertise or merchant, and 3) any damages or injury that may result from the ad or offer listed. We are working to strictly adhere to the Federal Trade Commission guidelines and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. This information and/or site should not be used by anyone under the age of 18years. You advertise or respond to the ads at your own risk. Publishers and advertisers may review these guidelines at http://www.ftc.gov All articles have been selected for their content. The publishing of those articles in our newsletter does not constitute a recommendation of the products or services mentioned or advertised within those articles. Be responsible! Always do your own due diligence before responding to any offer. We respect your privacy and will not sell your personal information to any other entity. No part of this Publication may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of the owner. Copyright © Successful Family Chores 2003-2008